First snow of the season.

Wet, sloppy snow today... Essentially no accumulation, as anything that built up was so wet that it washed away in short order. But for a short while, there was some slushy snow on the grass. It was coming down so fast that for a while the rain mixed in with the snow couldn't quite wash it away as fast as it was falling. Only for a while, mind you. :-p

That was enough for The Girls - Much running about, mixing the scant snow liberally with mud, rolling in the slush, and stuffing their faces into the deeper spots. Dakota, especially, made a point of plowing snow with her face... She's undoubtely been missing the white stuff!

Sorry, no pics - Between the rather heavy rain admixed with the snow, and muddy slush being flung about, I didn't dare chance the camera outside. *shrug* It was a dark grey overcast day anyway. I doubt any pics would've turned out well.

Still, The Girls got a good workout just prancing about in the cold and wet. :-)

And now for something just a little different...

Pale clouds float
betwixt silv'ry moon
and silvered earth,
the breath of life
whisp-etched icy wakes
hang in the still air.

Orbit and counter,
the shadows pace
their appointed rounds.

Dark and light,
Yin and Yang,
greater and lesser
spirit and soul
boldness and caution
each within their heart
mirrors the other.


I don't often write blatent poetry - It usualy sucks rather nastily. Not, perhaps, today.

Awakened in the very early hours by invading chill, the girls decided that, seeing as I was up, it was a good time to see about their business. Under an immaculate clear sky, the full moon flooded the neighborhood with a clear silver light, bringing to ghostly life the frost-gilt landscape. The girls left pale breath-cloud wakes in the still air. The magical illumination gave substance to their forms, whilst redacting inconsequential detail. All I witnessed were two kindred spirits, the same yet different, dark and light, large and small, bold and shy, dominant and submissive, as they orbited; checking their perimeters, each other, me.


In perhaps-related news, Suka came to me this morning, and dropped a ball at my feet, backed off, and barked - tail wagging and eyes bright. In the nearly fifteen months I've known her, this is a first.

Strange ways...

Recent observations have me increasingly bemused. Adding Dakota to the family has pried open aspects of Suka's personality* that I'd never expected, and some that frankly, I'd just as soon not experience.

Some very knowledgeable people have called Suka a 'weenie.' It's not that they dislike her; it's that they've noticed she's an innate stress puppy. She doesn't like strange situations, and even familiar situations that she cannot control cause her a very strong stress and avoidance reaction. So when she suddenly showed up as dominant over Dakota, there were a few "Huh?" reactions. Including, frankly, from me. OK, Dakota is not a 'hard' dog. In fact, she's quite 'soft,' but Suka is also a soft dog, and a mere one-third Dakota's size. Dakota can literally fit Suka's entire head in her mouth. This didn't even cause Suka to hestitate a second. My 'stress pup' literally charged straight into the teeth of the lumbering giant, and made her submit.

We've all seen Chihuahuas make a big dog back down, but most Chi's I know aren't exactly 'soft.' What makes a 'soft' dog suddenly act like queen bitch of the world? There are dominance signals and cues that dogs share that are NOT part of their commonly-observed personalities. It's subtle - maybe too subtle for me to discern. Certainly the overt signals are clear enough - Tail upright, rigid 'at attention' stance, boldly upright ears and direct stare. 'Teeing Off,' snatching precidence of action, snapping, growling, gatekeeping, resource guarding... Those area all obvious to any observer. But what signal tells one when to challenge for position? What signal tells a dog when the pecking order has been established, and it's OK to ease off? It's clear when dominace is being established, and when it has been established, but the transitions between states, most especially the 'backing off' stage, are a bit of a mystery to me.

Anyway, Suka is clearly in 'maintenance mode' with Dakota - She's not nearly as bitchy as she was, and maybe some of that is due to me putting her back 'in school' herself, and (re)establishing my place as boss. When did I know it was time to ease off? Frankly, I'm not sure I know that, either! I missed that transition, too - Just one day, I looked back and noticed that I wasn't bearing down as hard as I had previously, and didn't need to, either.

One thing Suka doesn't do much of any more is 'fence run.' Fence running is an aggressive activity. Most trainers will not permit it - I certainly don't. But in my daughter's presence, Suka would try it - Until I stuck my head out a window and called her off. Now, Dakota fence runs, and Suka stands back and supervises. And Dakota is an enthusiastic fence runner! I have to physically go to the fence and block her. She gets the message quickly enough, but until I get there, she's baying away in that deep thunderous voice of hers. Suka, meanwhile, goes quickly about her business, and returns to guard the garage door.

Dakota has, as mentioned previously, taught Suka to play. She's not good at it yet, but she's learning. Play has brought with it excitement barking. Suka used to be a remarkably quiet dog. Not so any longer... She now sounds like pretty much every other Border Collie or BC-cross you've ever met: Out of her furry little mind when there's something exciting about to happen. This is a development I could've done without... She's not bark-screaming yet, but I will no longer rule that possibility out.
<.<

'Something Exciting,' unfortunately, now includes being fed. I've put Dakota and Suka on similar diets, mostly out of convenience. It meets both their nutritional needs, with a slight tweak for Dakota (Joint supplements - She's a BIG girl!), and Suka has found the new taste to be very much to her liking. Before, she ate pretty much when she felt like it. Now, she's in her crate, squeaking, barking, and yammering in anticipation... Ready to stuff her face into her bowl. One bonus to her new eagerness to eat; she and Dakota finish at about the same instant. This means no fights over food.

I had made the mistake of believing her personality largely exposed to me. Now, I see there are whole new depths. I think I'm going to try her on 'fetch' again. I may be taking another stab at Monster Creation, but what the heck... If nothing else, the new behaviors are diverting and interesting.
;-)


* Yes, dogs have personalities. I know, I know - Most readers here aren't going to dispute that. Yet I do occasionally get accused of anthropomorphism when discussing animals' personalities. It's empirically obvious that different animals for the same specied and even sam breed behave differently from their fellows, in ways subtle and not-so-subtle-at-all. Further, science has observed and confirmed these differences. So there, doubters! Nyah!
:-P

Wakeup

In the predawn twilight, four glowing eyes rush.

Back, forwards, hints of glinting teeth and growling and fierce postures, the furry bodies race each other.


Suka has learned to play.

Sonuvagun!

Well, paint me green and call me a frog... I think I just saw Suka responding to play invite from Dakota!

You'd have to know Suka, and how supremely dog-indifferent she is, to understand how remarkable is that observation.

Peace... And miscellaneous

Suka and Dakota have made peace. Suka is boss, but doesn't get to abuse her status - And both of the girls seem quite happy to relax and let go of the tension.

Dakota is off-lead in the house full time now, and out of the crate most of the time. She's responding very well to command and instruction - She's actually a bit more crisp than Suka is, on some commands. Suka, meanwhile, has benefitted from a trip back to school - She's also doing very well, though is a bit more vocal than she'd previously been. She's also sporting a small scar above her right eye, courtesy of one her sets-to with Dakota. Well, when you push a big dog back into a corner, you can expect to pay a bit. This is, I suspect, one of the reasons Suka doesn't abuse her status as top bitch - Dakota could clean her clock in a heartbeat, if pressed. So Suka doesn't press. No more gatekeeping, chokepoint sniping, cheap-shotting, or resource guarding. Not by either of them.

There's a bit of thunder and lightning to accompany the storm overhead - Nothing loud or close, but Dakota is anxious - And crowding up under my chair. Right in Suka's face. And Suka is just sitting there, watching the big sissy, bemused. Suka could care less about lightning, thunder, or fireworks - She's remarkably calm, for a BC/X, in the face of noises.

Food issues have been resolved - Both are on the same diet now - and Dakota's putting back on the mass she lost whilst getting settled. Dakota's stools are a bit soft, but nothing serious. They're otherwise normal. Suka's had some small digestive upset with the shift in diet, but she's adjusting well. I've got to tweak Suka's intake, though, as she's put on a couple pounds she doesn't really need. Still within normal weight, but showing a slightly less svelt figure then previously. I will NOT have a fat BC like you so often see in conformation shows! So - A bit of tweaking, some longer walks, and we'll see her back to the nicely slender tucked-up waist. Not that she's far from that now, but I make a point of watching the dogs closely as they walk, and I can see a touch of thickening in the waist. Running my hands over her ribs tells the rest of the story - I can still feel her ribs, but they're a little deeper under the flesh than before. Not, mind you, that she'll object to the extra walks!

Not, mind you, that the extra walks will hurt me, either. :-p

Mud Puppy!

It's been raining.

Much, much rain. Seattle weather, to be honest. :-p

Jenn was out at one of her Chorale's performances this evening, in the pounding rain. I left Lin in charge of herself and Suka whilst I took Ian with me to deliver Jenn to her car pool to the performance. I come back to find that Lin and Suka have taken the opportunity to play in the rain (They're a matched set of lunatics, IMO). Anyway: dog; outside; pouring rain... I'm sure y'all know where this is headed...

This is what happens when it rains...

OK, so this was all just an excuse to post a cute picture of a repentantly muddy beast... ;-)

Anyway, mad scramble to clean up the dog before Ian and I headed off to collect Jenn again. She wears formal black when performing, and I was quite sure she'd have been less-than-charmed to have been greeted by the ambulatory mud-clod on her return.

Needless to say, when we returned, guess who was outside and playing in the rain and mud again..? Teenagers... Not only not quite bright enough to come in out of the rain, but also crazy enough to go right back out into it as soon as your back is turned. :-p Fortunately, I saw what was up before we opened the front door, and was able to intercept Suka before she splashed Jenn, whom made an inspired sneak-n-dash upstairs before the dog could enthusiastically greet her in a very muddy fashion.

And just so you know; This is what Suka looks like after being cleaned. The second time.

All better now - Time to nap.

That's all. :-p

Ministry of Silly Walks, Canine Division.

The last couple of nights have been pretty frosty, at least for Delaware... Temps in the low 20s or high teens. Suka really comes alive in the cold, especially if there's no frost or ice on the ground. Snow, she loves. Frost and ice weird her out.

Last night, the grass grew hoarfrost again... Still air, clear skies, temperatures plummeting from the already low daytime temps towards something rather cooler than shirtsleeve weather; you could actually see the frost growing. Sweater weather, for me, really - As long as there's no humidity or winds to speak of, a sweater is plenty sufficient for me in mid-teen temps. WAML again, and all that rot, so, it seemed like a good night to go and perch on the old playset and just kind of chill out, in several meanings of the phrase. Suka happily joined me, energetic and playful in the chill air, but the hoarfrost was messing with her mind again. This time, rather than mincing (which really was out of the question - She had too much energy), Suka tried out a Silly Walk: Run two strides; pop her front legs off the ground and run two strides on her back legs only; repeat. I've never seen anything like it - I don't even know to what I should compare it. She wasn't bounding, she wasn't bear-walking, but some crazy hybrid of the two on the two-beat.

It's supposed to be pretty cold the rest of the week... I wonder what else I'll see Suka do before it's done?

Christmas wrapping... up.

Well, wrapping up Christmas - Still some hoiday season events pending, but the big ones will finish today - Gift day at my father's place. It's been lean, due to the economy, and due to the fact that Work Ate My Life (WAML). Not enuogh money, not enough time, to do everthing we might have otherwise have done. Still, people did have Christmas, if more frugally than extravagently. Suka, too, has had her Christmas, though she seems to not understand the significance. Imagine that! ;-)

The HBIC at The Farm sent a 'thank you' package with some home-baked dog treats, and I learned what she found to do with the raw food samples ( http://sukasplace.blogspot.com/2008/11/cold-indeed.html ) - bundle them up in small groups, and send them as gift training treats. Well, that makes sense - opening a double handful of packets is much easier, individually, than opening literally thousands. Much less scary! So, yeah, some of those found their way into Suka's Xmas package. In addition, she's been given pressed-rawhide (not solid!) chewies, and pink piggie toy, which she's decided is worth carrying about the house (the first toy in which she's shown any real interest).

Along with all the nifty treats, she's talking more, and showing a lot more affection to other members of the family. This is, I'm sure, in part due to others picking up the care slack when WAML, but it also seems to stem from the competition to be the one to giver her treats. Also, my daughter has taken to cheating... Well, not cheating, per se, but she's at that pubescent stage wherein other people are all idiots, and are to be tollerated on sufferance, at best (she ruins the effect by giving my random hugs and pesting me to watch Monty Python with her). As part of this "Oh, that Angst!" attitude, she's taken to going out to the old playset in the back yard to read her "Twilight" books. She takes Suka out with her, so Suka has identified my daughter as the "outside girl." Needless to say, my daughter's status has risen considerably! The younger child has been drafted to treat Suka while I'm trimming her nails, and with placing her food on the floor, so he's risen, too.

All told, not the most thrilling of Christmasses, but far from a disaster. Considering how easily the wheels might have come off, I'm counting this as my Christmas Miracle.

So to everyone (all three of you) who read this; Happy Holidays (what's left of them!) and a happy and productive new year!

Thanksgiving!

Lovely day at my father's rather sprawling place yesterday. Spent the day with my father, his wife, and a pair of my many siblings (and their children). Kept myself in check, and only ate a lot - Didn't actually over-eat.

Took Suka along, but she didn't have as much fun as the rest of us. She's still a bit twitchy about strange places, no matter how much she loves going for a ride. Complicating this are my father's dogs - Lacey & LD (Little Dog). LD is about 50lbs. This is little? Well, in comparisson, she is little. Lacey is a newfie/lab cross, and is a 95# monster. They're both good dogs, but more than a little rambunctious, in the way typical of labs (LD is a pure lab). Suka, frankly, has no clue how to play with dogs. Complicating things still further, dad uses an electronic fence, with which Suka's got no training or experience (nor equipment), so she had to stay on-lead outside the house.

LD wanted to get to know Suka, which would've been fine, but Lacey kept trying to coax Suka into a play fight, or a bit of bounding about the place, and not only could Suka not join her, but she was more than a bit intimidated, and not liking it at all. So, Suka spent most of the afternoon denned up in her crate, watching the action, instead. She did come out after Lacey and LD were properly worn out - which took four kids and the better part of the afternoon - Those two are fit!

In general, all the dogs were all well-behaved, aside from a bit of lip-curling on Suka's side, and a bit of counter-surfing and trashcan mining by the two black dogs. Not a bad day, though I would've been quite pleased if Suka would've engaged the other two a bit more. Well, I suppose that's a bit much to ask - Either one of them outweighed her by a substantial margin, and combined, they outweigh her by nearly four to one.

So, maybe not a runaway success, but some more socialization, new experiences, and so on - one more step forward, even if only a small one.

Oh, and the meal? Wonderful. :-)

The weather turns... And so does the dog.

Fall is here. Oh, these last few days have been indian summer, but even so, Autumn is in the air.

With the crisper air, the shorter days, the turning leaves, Suka has turned as well. Her personality continues to unfold, and she's much more active, engaged, and inquisitive. Still, she remains a sweet, well-behaved dog, but she's also prone to fits of wrestling, and has taken to pestering for walks, pestering for play, and even pestering the cats. The cats, needless to say, don't speak 'dog,' and are most confused by Suka's attempts to goad them into a romp.

Feline confusion doesn't stop Suka, though - Her ears pricked up and forward, she bounces at the cats, eyes bright with potential mischief, only to be rebuffed by indifference, confusion, or (in Max's case) a most impressive display of curmudgeonry. Curmudgeonry? Is that a word? Well, I guess it is now. Max is slowly learning to tollerate this bounding oaf in his kindgdom, but is not willing to put up with shenanigans of any sort!

Well, if the cats are no fun, she can count on me for a bit of "squeaky chase." She's got a little squeaky donkey, which is her favored toy. She's got a squeaky elephant, too, but that one doesn't taste as good to her, for some reason. ;-) She'll chew her donkey, drag it around the house, and will nail it in mid flight with unerring accuracy. Getting it back for a second toss is a bit of a challenge, but once it's back in my hands, well, she's locked and loaded for another catastrophic mid-air kill. Ziiip! Goes the flying donkey! Clack! Go the jaws of doom, and the poor donkey meets its grim end once again. As the weather cools, Suka's more and more inclined to punish the poor, long-suffering quadruped. Or maybe she's just fed-up with 'political season'? Naaaah.

Suka's walks are growing longer, too, as the air chills, and her coat is filling back in. By Alaskan standards, this is a heatwave, but by local standards, well, it's time to grow the coat back in. She doesn't tire so fast, and doesn't wind up sucking up near as much water as previously, either. I can hardly wait until a proper chill - I bet I can have her chasing that poor donkey for hours!